


maybe being soft isn't all that bad

by episode342



Category: Bleach
Genre: Developing Friendships, F/M, Fluff, Platonic Relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-07
Updated: 2019-02-07
Packaged: 2019-10-23 16:23:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,458
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17686910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/episode342/pseuds/episode342
Summary: “Did Ichigo send you?” He heard himself ask, and almost immediately regretted it. He hoped she wouldn’t take offense to his words.“Do you think he did?” she asked him, almost too carefully.Uryuu shrugged, “Usually you go to him when he needs his pep talks.”“Is that what you need?”





	maybe being soft isn't all that bad

**Author's Note:**

> i've noticed there is literally no ishiruki fics in existence and i am extremely sad and disappointed! i blame kubo for not giving these two screen time together. they're actually very cute. 
> 
> anyways, i wrote this in the span of 15 minutes. there might be horrible typos and it might be a little ooc but, nothing can be as bad as what kubo did to these characters himself. 
> 
> they deserved so, so much better.

“You know, no one really bought into it, right?”

Uryuu looked over to his right and saw Rukia. The petite Shinigami managed to sneak up on him. He was either too tired to hide his presence, or he was getting too bad at it. He should probably work on that when he returned to Karakura. 

She moved over and stood next him, her steps careful and quiet. 

After the war, he would have expected everyone to go home and rest. Instead, the new captain commander had suggested hosting a celebration of their victory. Of course, there was some cleaning up to do first. Soul Society was in shambles, thousands were dead, and Sosuke Aizen was still free. 

It took a little over a week for most of those things to be taken care of. All except the reconstruction of Soul Society, but he had a feeling that would probably take years to be fully done and over with. 

Shunsui Kyoraku had suggested Ichigo and his friends stay behind to rest while the Shinigami cleaned up the mess. Ichigo agreed on the condition they let him help too. 

 _It’s the least I can do_ , he had said, as if he hadn’t saved the entire world just a few days before. 

Uryuu stayed too, but he didn’t feel right doing so. Inoue had told him Ichigo wasn’t upset at him. Sado had agreed with her and they both enveloped him in a very tight, awkward bear hug. Despite their claims, he couldn’t help but feel like he shouldn’t be here. Whether he was playing double agent or not, he still betrayed Ichigo and the trust of Soul Society. And if Gin Ichimaru was anything to go by, he would never be on their good side again. He would always be a traitor in their eyes. In fact, he was pretty sure the only reason they let him stay is because he was Ichigo’s friend. Soul Society owed Ichigo, yet again. He was their hero. Uryuu staying was a small favor they were willing to do for him. 

“It’s not a very nice thing to ignore a lady, Ishida-kun,” he heard Rukia speak, a playful look in her face. He realized he wasn't paying much attention to her when she first arrived. He didn't even remember what she had initially said.

Uryuu was thankful the darkness masked his flustered face, “Sorry, Kuchiki-san! Did you ask something?”

Rukia chuckled, lifting a hand over to her face to cover her mouth. He looked over at her. She was shorter than he remembered. Or maybe he’d grown taller. He really couldn’t tell.

“I just said, that I’m sure you were aware no one bought in to your plan.”

Uryuu rose an eyebrow in confusion, “My plan?”

Rukia coughed, crossing her arms and looking up at him. “Working alongside Yhwach. Or at least pretending to do so.”

“Oh."

Rukia turned her gaze away from his, planting her eyes ahead of her. “Ichigo, Renji, Inoue, Chad, me. We all knew what kind of person you were from the very beginning.”

He actually scoffed at that, “Which is?”

“A good person.”

He smiled at that. Leave to his friends to see through him. 

“Did Ichigo send you?” He heard himself ask, and almost immediately regretted asking. He hoped she wouldn’t take offense to it. He was actually starting to enjoy her company. 

“Do you think he did?” she asked him. They were both looking at nothing in particular, too distracted by their conversation to focus on anything else. Not that there was much scenery to enjoy anyway.

Uryuu shrugged, crossing his own arms, “Usually you go to him when he needs his pep talks.”

“Is that what you need?” she offered. Uryuu could tell Rukia was teasing him.

Uryuu smiled, then shook his head. “No, not really. But, you and I have never really talked one on one before. Actually, that’s not true. Maybe once or twice. I was just surprised you came looking for me."

Rukia actually sighed at that before turning around. Feeling her shift beside him, Uryuu tensed up but looked down to face her nonetheless. 

“Ishida-kun, you are my friend. Just as much as Ichigo, Renji, Inoue and Chad are. We may not be as close, but you’re still a dear friend of mine.” Uryuu had heard Ichigo complain about how bossy and blunt Rukia was in the past. The orange haired teenager had told him she loved to speak her mind, even if you didn't want to hear it. He spoke about the sparkle in Rukia’s eye whenever she was motivated or upset. 

He didn’t think he would ever experience it first hand, but it was there. Whether she was motivated to scold him or was simply upset at him, he found he didn’t see why Ichigo complained so much about it.

“You and I didn’t know each other that well, but you still came,” he knew she was referring to her execution, she didn’t have to point that out, “You risked your life that time. You risked it again that time to save Orihime from Aizen and his Espada. For a third time when you tried exposing Ginjou and Tsukishima before Soul Society had the chance to. And once again, you risked it by joining this fight. This war. Against your own people, too.”

“They weren’t my people,” he interrupted, tearing his eyes away from hers. “They may have been of Quincy heritage, but they weren’t my people. My mother. My grandfather. _They_ were my people. And Yhwach was the reason one of them died.”

Rukia nodded, understanding his words. “Point is, you’re just as much of a hero as Ichigo is.”

Uryuu tensed up even further. He had been thinking about that just a few minutes ago.  _Had he actually said that out loud? Or did she read his mind?_

“I don’t—"

“It’s okay, Ishida-kun. To feel like you’re second best, sometimes not even that," she explained.

Uryuu knew about Rukia and her past. She had been adopted by the Kuchiki clan as a child. Everyone probably expected the very best of her. If there was anyone who understood the pressure of having to be the best, it was her.

"Ichigo has done so much for Soul Society, but so have you," she continued, "Along with Chad and Inoue, you all have changed the landscape of things. You made Soul Society see the strong will of humans and the genuine good heart of the Quincy. Don’t discredit yourself.”

Rukia placed a hand over his arm. Once again, his eyes found hers. “You don’t have to mop around and overthink your actions. What’s done is done. Yhwach is gone now. You should go out and celebrate with everyone else. Allow yourself to be credited for this win."

He smiled. He was doing that a lot tonight. “I’m not a fan of crowds.”

Rukia returned the gesture, scoffing silently. She dropped her hand from his arm, but not before giving him a reassuring squeeze.

Weird, Uryuu thought, that for someone with a snow zanpakuto, she could be so warm.

“Join us whenever you’re ready,” she said softly, turning away to leave.

“Thanks, Kuchiki-san,” he called out to her before she rounded the corner.

“It’s Rukia,” she said. 

Uryuu should've told her it wasn't appropriate, to refer to her on a first name basis. She was older than him, of a much higher rank, from a noble family. But the way she looked over at him, almost expectantly, he found he couldn't refuse her request.

“Thanks, _Rukia_ ,” Uryuu said. Her name felt warm on his lips. Comfortable. _Right_.

Seemingly satisfied, the short girl smiled and waved goodbye. 

* * *

 

A _hero._

That’s what Rukia said he was. He didn’t think he agreed with her, not really. He wasn't Ichigo, that boy was a knight in shining armor. But, he was thankful for her kind words. Rukia was able to read him, just as well as she could read nearly everyone else. He wondered if maybe his insecurities and doubts had grown enough to be projected onto the outside. Noticeable enough for everyone around him to see.

Ryuuken had mentioned it to him before, how soft living creatures were. How easily it was for one to fall for kind words and touches. Uryuu wasn’t the type to listen to anything his father said. But, he could see what the old man meant. He could see the softness in his friend’s souls. Ichigo, selfless and righteous. Orihime, sweet and innocent. Chad, kind and brave. Rukia, fearless and mature. 

 _Maybe_ Uryuu had grown soft too. 

But if growing soft meant he was anything like his friends, he found that he didn’t seem to mind about it at all.

**Author's Note:**

> should i continue this? maybe? maybe not? let me know!


End file.
